


A Marriage of Convenience

by Alyrianna



Category: Warcraft (2016)
Genre: Angst and Humor, Angst with a Happy Ending, Callan and Taria are the trouble twins, Confused Khadgar, Everyone knows something Khadgar doesn't, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Flustered Khadgar, Lothar is a hopeless romantic, M/M, Marriage of Convenience, Poor Khadgar is never going to get any rest, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, courting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-18
Updated: 2016-07-18
Packaged: 2018-07-24 19:58:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7521100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alyrianna/pseuds/Alyrianna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Khadgar always thought he would be saved the pain and complication of marriage. The Guardian always took a vow of celibacy and gave up the ability to hold land and titles when they took their vows at the end of their training. Except Khadgar has one problem-</p>
<p>He never finished his training. He never took those vows.</p>
<p>And now the spring court Season has come to Stormwind, and Khadgar isn't ready.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Marriage of Convenience

Khadgar leaned against one of the shelves in the Stormwind Library; book in one hand, close to his face, and his other hand pulling at his lower lip as he concentrated. He had been pouring over this book for hours, but he hadn’t quite noticed the stiffness of his legs due to the level of intensity which he was currently using. The spell seemed so interesting in _theory_ but whether or not it could actually be properly applied…

His thought was abruptly ended when a small, but firm hand settled on his arm, and he jumped back, disturbing what seemed like a mountain of dust and knocking over a few books in the process. He sputtered, standing, and brushing dust out of his hair and off his tunic.

“Oh! My! I’m terribly sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you!” The high-pitched but gentle voice floated to his ears as he looked up to find the owner of the hand that had been on his arm a moment before standing in front of him, a look of shock and worry on her face.

She was pretty, as women went, with long curling reddish brown locks and bright green eyes set delicately in a pale and gentle face dotted with freckles. She was dressed in an ornate dress that followed the patterns of the highlands to the north, and her accent only helped to give her away as a foreigner.

“It-it’s quite alright. I’m sorry if I startled you- I was deep in thought. Can I help you…? Err? I’m sorry- I don’t know your name.” Khadgar made an attempt to be polite, but he was irritated at being interrupted during his research. Everyone in Stormwind knew to steer clear of their new Guardian when he was reading, unless you wanted to spend the next few minutes as a sheep.

“Oh, I’m _so_ sorry. I’m Lady Arielle Werstein from Gilneas, from up north, you see. That’s my fault bargin’ up at you like this. You see, my family just came to the city to visit the royal court for the spring balls, and for my Enveilment, and the start of the Season, and I have heard oh-so-much about the new Guardian and I just wanted to meet you m’self. It’s ever so excitin’ bein’ here in the city!”

He knew he was gaping, at her, but he couldn’t help it. Spring balls? Enveilment? _People talked about him all the way up north?_ he needed to find Lothar and ask him a _lot_ of questions.

“I-uh. Uhm. Well- I see. I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I am rather busy at the moment with my research and I can’t stop to chat. Maybe another time?”

He tried to gracefully back out of the conversation so that he could take his book and run to his rooms and the soft pile of blankets and pillows that awaited him. Hopefully he would read in _peace_ there- but she had other plans. As he began to shuffle around he gently, she reached out and touched his arm again gently, bringing a blush to his face just as the small and soft contact of her thumb rubbing on the exposed skin.

“Oh, well. You’ll be at dinner then, won’t you? I heard someone say that you dine often with the King, and the Queen, and the Commander too, and we’ll be with them while we are here as well. It’s so surreal! I would sure love some time to talk to you though, if you could make it.”

“Ah. Sure, yes. I should be. I will see you then, m’lady.”

Khadgar bowed gently, and then made a hasty exit out of the library to head back to his rooms, wondering, _What in the world was that?_

* * *

It seemed he wasn’t to make it back to his rooms uninterrupted, however.

Turning one of the sharper corners in a hallway leading to his room, he directly collided with a _very_ firm chest, and felt himself begin to fall backwards before a strong pair of hands grasped him by the arms and pulled him up; a deep and warm voice rumbling through said chest before he was even fully pulled upright.

“Oh. I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going. Are you alright?”

Khadgar looked up at the _ridiculously_ handsome man that was still gripping his arms with a gentle strength. His chiseled face and jaw, twinkling dark blue eyes and windswept blonde hair, that was just the right length of not-quite-too-long, was enough to leave Khadgar momentarily speechless.

The perfect features crinkled in concern when Khadgar said nothing, his mouth slightly agape and his skin rapidly darkening from the pink flush that had spread across his features.

“Hey! I say, are you alright?”

Khadgar nodded and stepped back a fraction, out of the grip of those firm hands, and found the words lost to him before.

“Uh, yes. I’m sorry. I’ve been buried in research all day and wasn’t watching where I was going trying to get back to it. Please forgive me, Ser…?”

He trailed off, unsure, because he surely would have remembered if he had met a man so physically flawless in his lifetime.

“Ser James, heir to the Red Ridge estates and Knight of the White Rose. I’m here for the start of the Season and to enjoy a bit of jousting while I’m at it. My family insists I need to start thinking about _marriage_ and the nuances of settling down, but I think they have the wrong impression on which particular gender I am interested in, if you catch my meaning.”

Khadgar knew _exactly_ what he meant and he felt his mouth go dry at the thought of the other man, being, well…

“Say, are you the new Guardian I have heard so much about? I remember the Commander mentioning something about how if I wanted to know it was you, I only had to look for- what was it- ‘a mage with the countenance of a scruffy and lost pup wrapped in a blue towel’, I believe he said.”  


Khadgar felt his blush deepen to the point that he probably looked ridiculous. He was going to _kill_ Lothar.

“Uh, yes. That’s me. New Guardian. Now, I would love to chat, but I have some very important research to get back to.”

He tried to sidestep around the other man, but was stopped by a strong arm against his chest. He began contemplating if it was possible to simply die simply from being touched.  


“Oh, now, don’t go. We’ve only just met! At least let me walk you to wherever you’re going!”

He turned, as if to walk beside the smaller man, but Khadgar was having none of it.

“Oh no. I’m fine. I’ll be at dinner tonight, but I really must be going now. Sorry for crashing into you like that.”

He sidestepped out of the other man’s reach and took off down the hall.

He was going to make it to his rooms this time, even if he had to sheep every person he met along the way there.

* * *

He might have made it to his rooms without any more awkward encounters, but it seemed he still wasn’t going to be able to get any peace.

King Llane, the mighty and proud leader of Stormwind, was burrowed so far into his Khadgar’s own personal blanket fort on the bed that all you could see was part of his hair poking out of the top.

Now, unfortunately, this was not an uncommon sight for Khadgar. Llane would come in to Khadgar’s rooms at all hours to hide from his duties and take naps because the rest of the castle would never guess that their King would be burrowing himself like a common mouse in the Guardian’s bedchambers.

“Hullo, Sire. Long day?”

He heard a muffled grunt from the pile in the center of the bed before a pair of brown eyes emerged, brow furrowed over them like a dark storm cloud.  
“You could say that, mage. I need a nap.”

Khadgar couldn’t keep the snarky tone out of his voice as he rolled his eyes. The King _always_ needed a nap. He was like a petulant toddler who didn’t want to do anything except sleep.

“Oh really. Is the country going to run itself now? How’s that working out?”

“I don’t know. How’s clearing Kharazan going?”

Khadgar just sighed, removing his cloak and going to his desk to continue reading his book.

“Fair point.”

* * *

He had been reading for maybe _ten minutes_ to the soft sound of Llane’s snoring before the door to his bedchambers burst open, Lothar striding into the room.

“Alright, Llane, get out from the pile. Taria is looking for you and she is on a _warpath_ and so help me if she asks me I will tell her where you are to save my own ass.”

Lothar’s voice rose in intensity with every word, and Khadgar turned his head to watch Llane disentangle himself from the pile of blankets, grumbling loudly and grabbing his crown from the bedside table where he had left it.

“And, you, bookworm! Why aren’t you dressed for the dinner tonight? I am _not_ handing Taria for you too!”

Khadgar sat back with a sigh, running a hand over his face. He was _never_ going to get anything done today.

* * *

Dinner was an _awkward_ affair.

Apparently many of noble families from all over the continent had arrived at Stormwind in the past fortnight without Khadgar noticing. They had all descended on the castle for what they called ‘The Season’ which, to his understanding, was a time when the nobles of the land had a lot of parties and balls and events to try and marry off their eligible sons and daughters to create new alliances. It seemed rather silly to him, but he didn’t have to worry about it. He was the new Guardian- and Guardians were celibate, or at least they didn’t marry. Though that fact didn’t seem to discourage the hungry stares from a few of the younger women, and men for that matter. Khadgar could _feel_ their eyes- and even he knew he was normally not one to notice such things- and it made him very uncomfortable.

Needless to say he was extremely relieved when dinner was over, and immediately took leave to go back to his chambers and finally finish the reading he had been trying to work on earlier that day. He made it to the hallway before he was stopped by a polite cough behind him. He turned, and was awarded with the sight of what even he could see was a rather gorgeous woman, hands clasped in front of her in a demure and patient gesture. Her semi-form fitted golden gown swept off her shoulders and only enhanced the matching golden brown tone of her skin. Her hazel almond shaped eyes were wide as she waited patiently.

“Oh, uhm. Hello. I don’t believe we met. I’m Khadgar, Guardian In-train- Ahem. Guardian. Of Azeroth. Can I assist you with anything?”

She smiled a slow and charming smile. Holding out her hand for Khadgar to take and kiss, she introduced herself as he did so.

“My name is Lady Morae of Duskwood. I’m sorry for following you like this.”

He dropped her hand gently, and took a step back, feeling like he was repeating himself when he opened his mouth.

“No, no. It’s fine, my lady. Was there something I could assist you with?”

“Ah, well, yes. You can. I simply wanted to say a proper hello to you, since I couldn’t seem to catch your eye at dinner. My family is beyond grateful for everything you have already done for Stormwind and Azeroth as a whole, and I simply wished to extend our gratitude.”

“Oh. Well, thank you. There were a lot of others who took part in the battles that happened, and helped stop the horde from destroying things. I was but a minor part.”  


Her hand flew up to her throat, almost in shock.

“Oh! No! Do not diminish your part in the battle. Without your bravery and magical expertise, I’m sure things would have ended very differently. Just how you valiantly held the portal to Stormwind open to save our soldiers, says enough of your character!”

Khadgar didn’t know how to respond to her exuberance for his contribution, feeling a blush rise to his cheeks. She smiled even wider at his speechlessness, reaching into a fold of her dress and pulling out a small item. She raised her palm out on front of her, revealing a pin that looked like a small purple-green leaf with a lining of silver and gold and the head of a howling head of a grey wolf set into the front.

“You don’t have to say anything now, Guardian, but please, this is just a small token of our support. Please wear it if you are interested in speaking with us about a future alliance with our house.”  


Khadgar took the offered token, and nodded.

“I will keep that in mind. Thank you. I don’t mean to be rude, but I really have some important research to return to now.”

She nodded, and gave a small wave of her hand before stepping back.

“Then please, don’t let me keep you. I hope I will see you around, Guardian.”

He barely caught the edge of the predatory smile that spread over her face as she turned back into the dining room before he hurried off to his rooms.

_What had gotten into people today?_

* * *

When he returned to his rooms, he wasn’t surprised to find Lothar already there, lounging on the couch in his main room- boots propped up on the edge of the arm. Khadgar just sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

“Lothar, _how many times_ do I have to tell you _not to put your boots on my couch_?”

Lothar opened his eyes, smirking at him, before snuggling down more into the soft pillows below him. Khadgar didn’t even have the energy to fight him, just walking to his bed chamber and stripping off his extra layers of his fancy dining outfit Lothar had made him wear, before falling, exhausted, into his bed.

He winced when he landed, the sharp edge of the token that the woman had given him earlier poking into his thigh. He reached into his pocket and pulled it out, examining it in the low candlelight.

Lothar had gotten up from the couch at some point while he was preparing to collapse on his bed, and walked over to where Khadgar was laying.

“What have you got there, bookworm?”

Khadgar tossed it to him, throwing his now free hand over his eyes.

“I don’t know. One of the Ladies from the dinner gave it to me, mentioning something about alliances with her house. I ran into another Lady in the library and some Knight in the hallway today that were looking to talk to me as well. It was definitely odd.”

He could practically feel Lothar’s sudden stop, and the tension that began to radiate from his body. The sudden silence after Lothar’s usual chattiness and pacing was deafening, only punctuated by a sharp and sudden intake of breath from the older man. Khadgar sat up, eyes and forehead furrowed in concern.

“Lothar? Is everything okay? What did I do?”

Lothar stood still for another heartbeat before turning and flourishing the token at Khadgar, his face, so pale a moment ago now flushed with emotion.

“WHAT IN THE WORLD WERE YOU THINKING?! WERE YOU ACTUALLY GOING TO WEAR THIS? A MARRIAGE WITH- WITH- THAT-“

Lothar cut himself off from his own screaming, blustering and mumbling under his breath. Khadgar was stunned; not from Lothar’s random yelling, that he was used to- but from the word _’marriage’_.  


“Wait- wait- wait- _’marriage?_ ”

He could barely squeak the word out, all color rapidly draining from his face and a slight tremble beginning to work its way into his hands.

“Lothar… No. What do you mean? Why did you use that word? The Guardian is celibate and can’t marry!”

Lothar paused his muttering and flailing of hands, to turn towards the younger man. Khadgar could see the frustration and upset in his eyes, but he didn’t know _why_.

“Do you really not understand what this means? Didn’t they teach you _anything_ at that floating school of yours?”

Khadgar could feel himself flush with embarrassment and anger.

“I’ll have you know they taught me plenty of things before I _left_ because of how awful they treated us and the restrictions we were placed under. I just didn’t have any need to learn court politics alongside the magic I would need to _save Azeroth_.”

“Hmm. Well. Fair point.”

Lothar took a moment to breathe and calm himself, rubbing at his chin for a moment before absentmindedly stroking down along his beard.

“Well I guess I’m going to have to be the one to teach you before you make an ass of yourself. Light knows I’ve dealt with this enough times. Move over.”

Lothar gestured to the bed, and as soon as Khadgar has moved out of the way, plopped himself onto it. He held the token up to the light, examining it.

“This right here is a Token of Courtship. They are given out, usually during the Season, to symbolize the start of Courting between two houses, or people. Now the Season is only a time of year, usually during Spring, where noble families gather to celebrate, feast and hold balls for young and eligible people to find good matches and alliances with other houses and states. If someone from a house gives you one of these, then it means they are interested in opening talks with you about an alliance through marriage, and if you wear it, it means you are open to them courting your favor. But I mean, this won’t mean anything for you right? Like you said, the Guardian is supposed to be celibate right? Right?”

A note of alarm entered Lothar’s voice when he noticed Khadar’s face go even paler as he finished speaking.

“Kid? Spell-chucker? Hey! Azeroth to Khadgar!!”

He snapped his fingers in front of Khadgar’s face, but the younger man was lost, eyes staring into a blank spot on the wall, with the same thing repeating over and over inside his mind.

“Lothar… I never finished my guardian training. I never took my vows. _I am not bound by the rules of marriage that a Guardian is supposed to follow._ ”

He looked at the older man, feeling helpless and empty and scared all at the same time; his hands clenching and unclenching into the blanket underneath him. He hadn’t even thought about it in that way when he took up the mantle of Guardian after Medivh died. He didn’t have much of a choice since the power of Kharazan had chose him as Medivh’s apprentice, and when Medivh had died the power and knowledge of the Guardian had flowed into him. Now here he was, stuck with all the responsibility and _none_ of the protections that a Guardian normally had when they took their vows from the Kirin Tor.

“L- Lothar. What do I do?”

Lothar looked at him, his eyes softening with understanding, and placed his hand on one of his trembling shoulders.

“It’s okay, bookworm. I’ll help you through this. First, I’m going to return this on your behalf and inform them that you were not prepared for any Courtship Tokens since the Season has not officially started and wont until the ball later this week. Then, we’re both going to sleep, and we can start on helping you prepare for the oncoming storm tomorrow.”

Khadgar nodded, the words barely registering in his brain. Courtship? Alliances? _Marriage?_ He was about as ready for this as he was to become the Guardian, which is to say, not at all.

Lothar patted his shoulder gently and pocketed the token before standing up and starting to walk towards the door.

“Get some sleep, spell-chucker. You’re going to need it if the girls have already come crawling your way, if only to have the strength to run from them.”

Lothar couldn’t have heard the quiet mumble that left Khadgar’s lips after he walked out the door.

“But I don’t even _like_ girls…”

**Author's Note:**

> This work was beta-read by my friend [leokumitrash](http://leokumitrash.tumblr.com/) from tumblr!
> 
> I'm [never-justforever](http://never-justforever.tumblr.com/) on tumblr.
> 
> If you liked it, leave me a kudos, a comment or both! I love to know what you guys think of my work!


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